Ratchet's alternate mode
is-- as usual-- an SUV-esque ambulance. The Prime version's vehicle mode
is remarkably akin to his movieverse version
in its general proportions, but is a bit more square and angular, as befits
the Prime aesthetic. As is also usual for the Prime aesthetic, in general
the amount of mold detailing for the size is fairly light-- with only the
necessary details like the windows, the grill lines on the top, and the
like molded in-- with the occasional heavily-detailed part, like his front
bumper. His main colors are his usual-- an appropriate mix of white and
red, with red being a bit more dominant than usual this time around. There's
also a bit more red on the toy than on the show model, but generally the
difference of colors is fairly minimal and easily overlooked if you don't
have the show model on display right in front of you. Even though the only
vehicle mode details he has painted here are his siren bar, front grill,
and black windows, enough of this mode is white and gray to break up all
the red that it still comes off as visually interesting and not "unfinished".
(I have to say, though, that the dark reddish violet paint used on his
ambulance siren bar is a bit too violet-y and doesn't really fit.) Other
than a slight gap down the middle of the rear end of this mode (because
his back section becomes his robot legs), there's no robot mode extras
at all in this mode, and it's a very solid ambulance mode. Ratchet has
three Cyberverse weapon-sized ports in this mode-- one above the windows,
and one on each car door. The weapon he comes with is a knife weapon that's
taken pretty directly from his own knife design in the show, and is in
the standard Cyberverse translucent Autobot red.
Ratchet's transformation
is some very basic unfolding of his vehicle mode, but it leaves a robot
mode that's impressively on-model for such a tiny toy. Most of the downsides
to this robot mode are understandable given the scale and budget of the
toy-- limited arm movement and arms merely "molded in" to the sides of
the vehicle mode doors; a roof on his back; and having noticeably "hollow
vehicle mode shells" for part of his lower legs. The only one of these
that is particularly annoying is the arm articulation issue, given that
to point his arms forward, his shoulders have to point forward with it,
which just looks odd. Both the back-roof issue and the lower leg issues
are easily hidden and don't get in the way of articulation. In fact, though
they don't move much, I love how his feet fold out into a slight "A" stance
for the toy, which makes him considerably more stable and dynamic-looking
than if he would've had completely flat feet. As for the color breakup,
more charcoal gray is visible in this mode, and works in breaking up the
colors well everywhere except his arms, which could've used more white
(both in terms of show accuracy and just to break up the colors more).
I do think that Ratchet's mold and paint detailing on his chest and head
are a bit subpar, however-- his fake "windows" on his chest could've used
some paint and look a bit too soft and rounded in comparison to his rather
square chest, pecs, and waist, and his head-- though nicely detailed for
the most part-- is almost completely lacking eyes, both in terms of mold
detailing and in terms of paint. That's just... weird, and it makes it
look like his head crest is a helmet of some sort and it's knocked too
low over his face. For articulation, Ratchet can move at the shoulders
(at two points), hips, knees, and slightly at the ankles, which is roughly
average for a Legion-class toy.
Prime Cyberverse Ratchet
is a great bite-sized version of his design, and is accurate in surpringly
many ways in both modes, given his very simplistic transformation. A few
issues with some odd chest/head detailing and lack of elbow articulation
aside, this is a great representation of the 'doc bot (and more color-accurate
than his deluxe version), and is well worthy of pickup, being one of my
favorite Legion-class figures in the line. Recommended.
Review by Beastbot